James h



2 Sheets-Sheet 1. J. H. FERGUSON.

STERBOTYPE SHAVING MAHINB.

Patented Feb. 2. 18486.

(No Model.)

` 2 Sheets--Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

J. H. FERGUSON..

STEREOTYPE SHAVING MACHINE.

No. 335,276. Patented Feb. 2, 1886.

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JAMES H. FERGUSON, OF JEV YORK,

PATENT OEEICEe N. Y., ASSIG-NOR TO LOVEJOY, SO)T ik CO., OF SAME PLACE.

STEREOTYPE-SHAVING MACHINE.

ECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 335,276, dated February 2, 1886.

Application tiled October 3, 1885.

T0 all whom, t may concer/2,:

Beit known that I, JAMEs H. FEEeUsoN, of the city of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Machines for Shaving Electrotype and Stereotype Plates, of which t-he following is a specification, reference being had t0 the accompanying drawings.

This invention consists in a novel and si1nple means of applying steam or other power to drive the traveling bed of the machine, upon and by which the plates are carried under a stationary shaving-plane, and means of throwing the drivingshaft out of gear with the said bed to provide for ruiming the bed back by hand. Y

It also consists in a simple and convenient provision for effecting the lieveling across one end the plate, which is commonly done before shaving, in order to prevent the too abrupt commencement of the shaving operation.

It further consists in a novel construction of the traveling bed, whereby a better support is obtained for the plate while being shaved, and a more uniform wear of the bed and the ways on which it travels is insured, and whereby also convenience is afforded for producing the slight curvature which it is customary to give to the plate preparatory to shaving,in order to insureits coming to a proper bearing on the bed.

Figure 1 in the drawings is a side elevation of a machine embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is an end view of the same. Fig. 3 isa longitudinal section of part of the main shaft of the machine and` one of its bearings. Fig. et is a vertical section of the beveling-plane. Fig. 5 is aplan of the machine.

A is the main framing of the machine, upon the top of which are horizontal ways a a, on which runs the travelingV bed B B, on which the plates are supported for shaving, and by which they are carried under the stationary straight-edged shavingplane C. This plane is of ordinary construction, and securedin the usual manner in an adjustable stock, D,which is fitted to a stationary bridge, E, bolted to the framing A and straddling the bed, all as is common in shaving and planing machines.

The traveling bed B B is furnished under neath with a toothed rack, b, Fig. 2, which Serial No. 'll'8,S(i3. (Xo model.)

gears with and receives motion from a pinion, f, on a horizontal shaft, F, which is arranged transversely to and below the bed in suitable bearings, f f, provided on the framing. This shaft is furnished at one end with a wormgear, F, which gears with and derives motion from an endless screw, G, on a horizontal driving-shaft, G,which is arranged on one side of the machine parallel with the length thereof, and supported in journal-bearings Lf/ g in a separate frame, G2, which is attached, as hereinafter described, to the side of the main framing A. Power applied to the drivingshaft G by a belt running on the pulley Gs produces a slow but very powerful movement of the bed for the planing operation, and in this movement there is a very great thrust endwise produced on the driving- Shaft'. 70

In order to receive and counteract thethrnst above mcntioned,the shaft Gis furnished with a collar, g, near the journal-bearing y', and between this collar, which has a conical face, and the said bearing there is fitted to the shaft 7 5 a double ring, g3g", which contains conical anti-friction rolls g, which run between the conical face y* of the said collar and the opposite conical end face of the bearing g in such a manner as to receive and transmit to 30 the said face g* the great thrust of the said shaft with a rolling and consequently very slight friction.

In order to provide for easily throwing the traveling bed out of gear with the driving- 85 shaft G, to permit it to be run back quickly by a handwhecl, F2, on the right-hand end of the shaft F, the frame G2, which carries the drivingshaft G, is pivote/d to the main framing A at the end farthest from the endless screw by a pivot-bolt, c, and the other end of the said frame G2 is suspended by a rod, d, from a crank-arm, d', on one lefthand end of a transverse shaft, d2, which works on fixed bearings in the main framing, the right-hand 95 end of the said shaft being furnished with a lever-handle, d, within reach of the operator as he stands at the front end of the machine. Vhen the endless screw is in gear, the pivotconnection d between the rod d and the roc crank-arm d is, as shown in Fig. l, slightly behind a plane passing through the axis of the shaft d2 and the aXis of the pivotconnection d", between the lower end of the rod d and the frame G2, and consequently the weight of the driving-shaft' G and its frame G2 holds the said crank-arm against a fixed stop, di', which is screwed into the side of the main framing A, and by this means the said shaft and its frame are held up to keep the endless screw G' in gear with the gear F'. Vhen it is desired to throw the endless screw out of gear, the operator depresses the handle d3 far enough to carry the center of the pivot d4 forward of the plane above mentioned, and

the frame G2 and driving-shaft drop as far as permitted by a slot, y, provided in the frame G2 to receive a bolt, gl, screwed into the main framing, which is far enough for the endless screw to drop out of gear. It is obvious that the lever d3, instead of being operated by hand, may have a treadle connected with it, to be worked by the foot of the operator standing in front of the machine.

Close to the front end of the machine, and on the left side thereof, where it does not interfere with the hand-gear on the right side thereof', is permanently secured to the main frame A the beveling-plane, which consists of a small stationary plane-stock, H, having its face upward, and a stationary plane-blade, 71, secured therein in the usual manner. This plane, which is shown in Figs. l, 2, 4, and 5, resembles substantially an inverted handplane. It is represented as having its throat provided with a hinged or-pivoted guard, 71,', to which a spring, h2, is so applied as to hold up the said guard high enough to protect the edges of the blade and the hands of the operator when he is not using this plane; but it yields to the pressure of the plate, and so does not interfere with the operation of the planeblade h when the operator is performing the beveling operation, which he does by simply taking the plate in his hands in a slanting position and drawing the edge to be beveled two or three times over the plane, which is a much more convenient opera-tion than the ordinary one of beveling with a handplane.l

The traveling bed B B', instead of having its front end terminate at the head e, which is secured in the upper face thereof to serve as an abutment for the electrotype or stereotype plate during the shaving operation, is prolonged beyond the said head toward the front end of the machine, as shown at B' in Figs. l and 5. By this means a bearing is provided for the said bed on the ways in front of the head e, and the wear of the bed on the Ways is further distributed and much more nearly equalized in all parts of the length, and consequently the machine will longer continue in a condition to shave all plates to a uniform thickness, regardless of their length, than when the bed terminates at the head, as it does in other electrotype-shaving machines, injwhich, owing to the varying length of the plates to be shaved, and to the part ofthe bed nearest in rear of the head being always in use, whatever the length of the plate, that part of the bed will wear more on the ways, and will sink, so that there is a tendency to plane the plate thicker at the end next the head.

It is the common practice before planing stereotype and electrotype plates to bend them so that they present a slight upward arch in the direction of the length of the planing movement, or, in other words, so that before pressure is applied upon them they will rest on the bed with their front and rear edges only, which insures their bearing on all parts when theyare subject to the pressure which they undergo in the shaving operation. Thls bending is commonly done by striking the plate with a mallet while it is on a metal bed separate from the machine. In order to permit this bending on the machine before shaving, I make the prolonged portion B' ofthe traveling bed in front of the head e with its surface slightly concave transversely, as shown by the curved line t' in Fig. 2, and shown by lineshading in Fig. 5. To bend the plate on this concave part B' of the bed, it is only necessary for the operator to place it thereon with its back downward and to press on one edge with one hand, and then with the other hand to lift up the opposite edge and suddenly let it drop on the bed, by which means it will assume a curvature conforming to the part B', which is sufficient to give it a sufficient upward arch, when it is inverted upon the dat Part B of the bed upon which it is to be shaved.

Vhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination of the traveling bed providedvwith a rack, b, the transverse shaft F, carrying a pinion, f, gearing with said rack, and a wormfgear, F', the driving-shaft G, furnished with an endless screw, G', gearing with said worm-gear and having a collar, g2, the bearing g' for vsaid drivingshaft, and the ring. g3 g4, furnished with antifriction rollers g5, working between said collar and bearing,` all substantially' as and for the purpose herein described.

2. The combination, with the traveling bed and the shaft F, geared therewith and furnishedv with a worm gear, F', the drivingshaft G, supported in'a pivoted frame, G", and furnished with an endless screw, G', gearing with said worm-gear, the shaft d2, furnished with a crank-arm, d', connected with said pivoted frame and with a lever for operating it, and the stop d, all substantially as and' for the purpose herein set forth.

3. The combination, with the main frame of the shaving-machine, of the stationary inverted beveling-plane arranged on said frame at the front end thereof, substantially as and for the purpose herein described.

4L. The combination, with stationary ways and a stationary plane extending transversely thereto, of a traveling bed on which a plate may be placed, and by which it will be car- IOO IIO

red beneath the stationary plane, and a bar which the plates to be shaved are placed or abutment, e, for the edge of a plate secured made with a concave face, substantially as and Io to the bed between its ends, the bed having a for the purpose herein set forth. bearing on the Ways both forward and rear- Ward of the said bar or abutment, snbstanl JAMES H' FERGUSON' tially as herein described.

5. The traveling bedBB, a portion of which on the opposite side of the head to that against Vitnesses:

FREDK. HAYNEs, HENRY MOBRIDE. 

